Golf tee



Aug. 22, 1933.

o L. MOORMAN GOLF TEE Filed Nov. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l UVEU (I? (fid/[fo QC. 77200172247;

Aug- 22, 19 c. L. MOORMAN GOLF TEE Filed Nov. 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [TVEJ 7 ET Kin Zea 0C. fizaa/"fimyz l objectionably irksome Patented Aug. 22, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Application November 17, 1930 Serial No. 496,054

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a golf tee, and more particularly to improvements in a teeing device or mechanism designed to tee a ball in position to be struck by simple mecha- 5 nism operable at the will of a user, and without the necessity of the user touching the ball, the balls being selected froma magazine so that the operation of the device is as continuous as the user may desire, the invention being highly desirable for use in connection with the teeing of golf balls, but the invention will have many and various uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, the teeing of golf balls has been and difficult. Various types of tees have been used, namely, rubber or flexible tees laid upon the ground, sand tees, and the customary sharp-pointed tees which are pushed into the ground. Quite frequently, the ground is so hard as to render it exceedingly difiicult to push a pointed tee thereinto; and just as frequently, a grassy teeing space is found in which depressions in the ground are hard to locate, and on which flexible or sand tees are not in any degree stable. The above objections to formerly known methods of teeing a golf ball arise not only on the regulation golf courses, but are even more apparent and the irksomeness of teeing a ball emphasized to a far greater extent at practice golf stands where the customer purchases a quantity of balls, such as fifty or a hundred, and occupies a stall from which the balls are successively driven. Here, with fifty or a hundred balls to be driven, the player must bend over and tee each ball, and the repetition of this operation fifty or a hundred times is obviously undesirable.

The present invention has been designed to overcome the above noted as well as other defects and objections in the operation of teeing a golf ball by the provision of a mechanism that will automatically and successively tee any desired number of golf balls by a simple operation on the 45 part of theplayer necessitating no stooping over or actually touching the'ball or the tee.

The invention also seeks the provision of a mechanism which will, by the simple manipulation of a lever or equivalent member, automatically-successively tee any desired number of golf balls, and at the same time permit the tee to be adjusted as to height to suit the convenience of the player.

:It is anotherobject ofthis invention to pro- :vide .a ,teeing mechanism responsive .to a light touch of a players foot for automatically and properly teeing a ball.

A further object of this invention is the provision of teeing mechanism enclosed in a suitable container insertable in the ground, so that the upper surface of the container will be at ground level whereby a player might stand upon the con tainer or off of the same as'he deems fit;

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a teeing mechanism encased in a suitable container varied so that the top thereof is flush with the ground level, leaving the inlet of the ball magazine, the tee, and operating members projecting above ground level where they are readily accessible and located in such a manner that they will not, in any manner, interfere with the players stroke.

It is also among the objects of this invention to provide a golf tee mechanism constructed and arranged to prevent to a maximum degree injury resulting to the device itself from impact by an incorrectly swung club.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of a mechanism or device embodying this invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures.

The invention includes these and other features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and shown in a preferred form in the drawings, as more particularly indicated by the claims;

Onthe drawings:

, Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a device or mechanism embodying features of the present invention, shown in operative position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the device shown in Figure 1, taken substantially as indicated by the line IIII of Figure l.

Figure 3 is substantially a central, longitudinal vertical sectional View, with parts in elevation, of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan sectional view of the device, with the tee shown in elevation, taken just beneath the top cover or platform of the device.

Figurue 5 is a section on the line VV of Figure 4.

As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there is disclosed a box-like casing or container'5 having spaced bottom members 6 and a platform top 7. The casing 5 and bottom member 6 are preferably of any desired kind of wood and thetop '7 may also be of wood,if so desired,

but is preferably of sheet steel. As seen more clearly in Figure 3, the platform '7 is depressed in the central region thereof in a step-down manner, as indicated at 8 to provide a pair of recesses of different size, the smaller being at the bottom. The smaller recess is occupied by a block or mat of sponge rubber 9, and immediately thereon and filling the top recess is a rubber mat 10 which extends beyond the platform at one side thereof to any desirable extent. This rubber mat 10 is provided therein with a slot 11 extending substantially from the central portion of the platform to the edge of the platform opposite the projecting portion of the mat 10. The sponge rubber 9 and cover '7 are centrally apertured as at 12 to permit a tee 13 of gum rubber and its base 14 of relatively hard rubber or wood to project upwardly therethrough. The tee 13 is designed to support a golf ball 15 in position to be struck or driven, and the ball is driven in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the slot 11 in the rubber mat 10, whereby if the club is incorrectly swung so that the head thereof strikes the mat 10, it will not injure the platform '7, and if the head of the club strikes the tee 13, the tee will merely bend over in the slot 11 without injury to itself.

The parts hereinabove described are connected together in any suitable manner, for example, the platform may be secured to the casing by means of screws or bolts 16, and the rubber mat 10 may be held in place by bolts and washers 1'7. When the device is mounted in position for use, the casing is preferably embedded in the ground with platform '7 flush with the ground level, and the extended portion of the rubber mat 10 will rest on the surface of the ground. When so mounted, a player driving the ball 15 off of the tee 13, may stand either upon the platform 7 or on the ground adjacent thereto as he may deem fit.

Embedded in the base 14 of the tee 13 and depending therebeneath, is a member 17 which is rigidly connected by a bolt and nut connection to the inwardly turned end 19 of an arm 20 pivotally mounted at the opposite end thereof in any desired manner, as at 21, adjacent an end of the casing 5. Adjacent the opposite end of the casing 5, a hanger 22 depends from the platform 7, and to this hanger one end of an arm 23 is pivotally connected as at 24, this arm being provided with an offset end 25 which is pivotally connected to the arm 20 adjacent the inwardly turned end 19 by means of a smooth shanked bolt 26. The bolt 26 projects through a rather elongated slot 2'7 in the offset end 25 of the arm 23. The inwardly turned end 19 of the arm 20 projects throgh a suitable slot 28 in a tubular housing 29 within which the tee 13 is movable up and down. It will be noted that the housing 29 does not depend vertically from the platform '7 but is inclined in the direction of the arm 20 so that the tee may freely move in the arc created by the end 19 of the arm 20 when the latter is pivoted upon its pivot point 21.v

The means for actuating the pivotal mechanism supporting the tee are, in this instance, in the form of an upwardly projecting bar or lever 30 having an inwardly turned end 31 passing through a suitable aperture in the arm 23. The lever 30 extends upwardly through a suitable aperture in the platform '7 and is provided at,

its top with a treadle 32 which, as is apparent in Figure l, is so close to the tee 13 as not to interfere in any manner with the stance or strokeof a player, However, the treadle 32 is convenient- 1y disposed so that when the player desires to tee a ball, it is a simple expedient for him to place his foot upon the treadle pressing it downwardly, causing the arms 23 and 20 to pivot downwardly as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3, the bolt 26 interconnecting the arm sliding freely along in the slot 27 in the arm 23 so there will be no binding, and causing the tee to be moved downwardly within the housing 29 to a point just beneath an aperture 33 in communication with the outlet chute 34 of a ball magazine 35. This chute 34 is of the form shown in Fig. 5 to facilitate cleaning and to prevent the accumulation of dirt and debris which might choke the chute. When in this position, the tee will receive another ball 36 from the chute 34, and a spring 37 secured at one end thereof in any desired manner to a link 38 depending from the arm 23 and attached at the other end thereof by means of a cord 39 to a stud 40 on the outside of the casing 5 will restore the mechanism to normal'position with the tee projecting above the platform 7 holding the ball thereon in position to be driven. Obviously, the tension of the spring may be adjusted to any desired degree by varying the connection of the cord 39 with the stud 40.

A shock absorbing adjustment is provided to limit the restoration'of the parts to their original positions so that the tee may be at any desired height to suit the individual requirements of a player. This adjustment feature, in this instance, is in the form of a thumb bolt 41 threadedly engaged in the platform '7, there being a rubber cushioning element 42 attached to the lower end of the thumb bolt and contacting the upper edge of the arm 23. In the event the adjustment is set so that the tee will be very high, a tongue 42 depending from the inner portion of the inwardly turned end 19 of the arm 20 will prevent the next successive ball from leaving the chute 34 until the tee is moved in the position to receive the said ball. For best results, shock absorbing means should also be provided to prevent injury to the apparatus in the event the player steps too hard upon the treadle 32, and to this end, the bottom of the housing 29 extends beyond one side thereof as at 43 and is provided with a rubber cushioning element 44 disposed beneath the end 19 of the'arm 20.

a The ball magazine 35 is, in this instance, in the form of a cylindrical container having a helical partition 45 therein which falls downwardly and terminates adjacent an aperture 46 in a central tubular core 47, this core communicating with the chute 34 through a suitable aperture 48 in the platform '7. In order to insurerigidity of the device as a whole, a collar 49 is provided around the tubular post 47 beneath the partition 45, and the magazine may be telescopically associated with this post if so desired, or secured thereto in any manner as by brazing or welding.

In operation, it is simply necessary for a player to step upon the treadle 32, thus depressing the tee 13 below the outlet end of the chute 34, permitting a ball to roll out upon the tee, and when the treadle is released, the spring 37 restores the parts to normal position with the ball resting upon the tee in position to be driven. In the event the tee is not at the right height for the particular player in question, it is a simple expedient for him to adjust the height of the tee by turning the thumb bolt 41 in either direction. In the event the restoration of the parts is sufficiently set to jar the ball off the top of the tee, the tension of the spring 3'7 may be relaxed by varying the connection of the cord 39 with the stud 40. A great number of balls may be placed in the magazine simply by dumping them thereinto, and the balls will follow the helical partition downwardly through the aperture 46 into the chute 34 where they may be successively teed at the will of the player. It will be apparent that the player need only take but a slight step forward with one foot to depress the treadle 32, and need not indulge in any other operation in the teeing of the ball.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a golf tee mechanism which, at the will if a player, can by very slight movement on the part of the player automatically and successively tee any desirable number of golf balls. It will also be apparent that the device is simple and positive in its operation and constructed and arranged so as to prevent injury to the device by an incorrectly swung golf club. It will be further apparent that the device may be adjusted to suit the individual requirements of any player, and that it may be easily and readily installed, and when installed does not interfere in any manner with the free movement of stance of the player. It will also be apparent that the device is very durable and economical to manufacture.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a golf ball teeing device, a casing, a golf ball tee, a base for said tee, an arm pivoted at one end to said case to one end thereof, and including an inwardly extending portion secured to said base for supporting and moving the same,

a hanger at the end of the housing opposite to the end at which said arm is pivoted, a second arm pivoted to said hanger and operably connected at its free end with the free end of the first said arm for actuating the same, spring means normally urging the free end of said second arm upwardly, tension adjusting means on the outside of said casing connected to said spring, whereby the tension of said spring may be regulated from outside the casing, manually movable means connected to said second arm whereby the same may be depressed to impart downward movement to the first said arm, and means for delivering golf balls to said tee when moved downwardly to its lowermost position by the first said arm.

2. In a golf ball teeing device, a casing, a golf ball tee, a base for said tee, an arm pivoted at one end to said case to one end thereof, and including an inwardly extending portion secured to said base for supporting and moving the same, a second arm pivotally supported at one end by said housing at the end of the housing opposite to the end at which the first said arm is pivoted, said second arm being connected at its free end with the free end of the first said arm for actuating the same, spring means normally urging the free end of said second arm upwardly, adjustable stop means for limiting the upward movement of said second arm in a predetermined position, tension adjusting means on the outside of said casing connected to said spring whereby the tension of said spring may be regulated from outside the casing, manually movable means connected to said second arm whereby the same may be depressed to impart downward movement to the first said arm, and means for delivering golf balls to said tee when moved downwardly to its lowermost position by the first said arm.

CHARLES L. MOORMAN. 

